Improvement in combs



UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

ELIAS BROWN, OF WAPPINGERS FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN COIVIBS.

Specification forming` part of Letters Patent No. 52,262, dated January 30, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ELIAS BROWN, of Wappingers Falls, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hair-Combs; and l do hereby declare that the followingis a full,

I clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The invention consists in the insertion of metallic strengthening-strips within grooves in the sides of the comb to impart stiffness and strength to the material of which the comb is made, whether horn, shell, or any other suitable material, and thus prevent it from warping or springing when used, in consequence ot' which the ordinary hair-combs now soon become broken and unfit to be used.

ln accompanying plate of drawings, my improvement in hair-combs is illustrated, Figure l being a side view of a comb with it applied thereto 5 and Fig. 2 a transverse section ofthe same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

a a in the drawings represent a hair-comb which maybe made of horn, shell, or any other suitable material therefor, and any of the usual shapes, which comb is provided with a series of teeth, b I) and c c, both coarse and ne.

In and along the whole length of the comb a and upon its two sides, d andj', between its back or upper edgeg and the inner ends h ol' the teeth, but a short distance from each, leaving the said back edge g exposed, is inserted within a similar dovetail groove, Z, of each, made in the direction of its length, a iat and correspondingiight-fitting metallic band or strip, m, so that the outer face ofeach shall be flush or nearly so with the surface of the comb.

These plates may then be secured by passing rivets through them from one side to the other, or the plates, being inserted in the combgrooves when the comb is heated, they will be then tightly bound and held by the contraction of the comb as it cools; or cement or other suitable adhesive material may be used,

if so desired, in lieu of rivets, and there are, it is obvious, various other ways by which the metallic bands can be secured in the grooves of the comb other than those specified, and therefore I do not limit myself to any one par ticular mode of fastening.

By inserting narrow metallic bands or strips in a hair-comb, as above explained, not only is the comb much strengthened, but it is rendered iniiexible and entirely unsusceptible of warping or springing out of shape from use, thus obviating all possibility of its being broken, whereby it is rendered much more serviceable; and, furthermore, by my improvement the ordinary form of such combs is retained, while, at the same time, its beauty is much enhanced and a comb produced completely meeting the wants of the trade.

In lieu ofinsertingthemetallicbandsin dovetail grooves of the comb as explained, other shapes of grooves may be used, and, furthermore, the bands may be attached directlyto and upon the side surfaces ofthe combwithout grooves. In this case, however, rivets or other suitable fastenin gs are necessary to irmlyhold them; and also, in lieu of applying a metallic band in any of the modes above explained to both sides of the comb, it may be applied only to one 5 butI deem it the best and the most advantageous as well as most practical, to insert the bands within dovetail grooves of the comb and upon both of its sides, as has been herein particularly explained, and as is shown in the drawings, although I do not intend to limit myself to it, the present invention consisting in the use of these metallic bands either upon one or both sides of the comb, between its back edge and the inner ends of its teeth, with the back edge exposed, as before stated.

Having th us described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- As anew. article of manufacture, a comb made with metallic strengthening-strips inserted in grooves in the sides ofthe comb, substantially as described and represented.

ELIAS BROWN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, A. E. BEACH, 

